How They Started: Oak Leaf Church

Oak Leaf Church is a prodigy among church plants. Michael Lukaszewski started the church in Cartersille, Georgia in August 2006, and it has grown to over 1,000 people

But you need to know the back-story. Because there are conditions that make or break a new church before it starts.

Michael was a youth pastor in three different churches over 12 years in Florida and Arkansas. He heard about West Ridge’s church planting program and moved to Georgia to become part of it. Michael spent 4-5 months looking for possible locations, but West Ridge kept recommending Cartersville.

At first, Michael thought the town was too small with just 20,000 people. But he realized that NO churches were doing what he wanted to do. Cartersville was full of traditional churches. It was a sleeping spiritual giant.

The great revivalist Sam Jones grew up there. In fact, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville was built for his preaching. The iconic missionary Lottie Moon was also from Cartersville.

This town was ready for a fresh, new expression of church. It was a case of GOOD GROUND. There was a tremendous spiritual heritage, but nothing for the next generation.

Oak Leaf Church exploded from 0 to 800 in one year. Now, there's 1,000 attendees and 10 people on-staff. Since then, at least 4 planters have tried to start something similar, but they missed a critical window of opportunity. They were too late.

oakleafchurch.com
twitter.com/heretolead

This is the first in a series of posts based on my book Church in the Making (B&H, April 1) which explains what makes or breaks a new church before it starts...

1. GOOD GROUND
2. ROLLING ROCKS
3. DEEP ROOTS

Comments

[Pat Gillen]

Ben, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. I've met Michael a few times, and think he's a great guy - and this question doesn't particularly apply to him or Oakleaf...

Do you think initially (maybe not long term, but at least at the beginning) the guys that 'get there first' are generally attracting "churched" people, which is why they see explosive growth. The 'sleepers' it seems may be frustrated church members waiting for someone to do something new.

Otherwise, it makes me wonder if it was related to other factors, why would churches coming later not have the same success (or even similar). Of course we are both speaking with the overarching knowledge that any of these movements are Spirit-led and God-driven in the first place... just examining the different factors God uses.

[Pat Gillen]

btw, looking forward to the book!

[Jonathan Herron]

Great stuff, Ben. Just pre-ordered the new book over the weekend!

[Ben]

Pat in the book I talk about spiritual marketshare and first responders in a community. You're def onto it

[Michael]

pat,

during our first year, we surveyed those who were attending and found that 60% of them did not attend church anywhere before coming to oak leaf. that number has since changed to about 40-45%.

however in the state of georgia, everybody "goes to church", even those who don't really go to church.

michael

ps - ben - looking forward to reading the book.

[Sam Mahlstadt]

Pumped for this book!!

[David]

What do you mean by "too late"? Does that mean to see the explosive growth or to stay alive?

[Ben Arment]

the growth... you'd have to reach a different segment of people altogether.

there is spiritual marketshare among types of churches. If someone's killing it in one category, yours will always be #2,3, or more.

more on this in the book.

[Brian]

Ben, looking forward to our DreamYear conversation tomorrow as we collaborate on city location and healthy planting..For the record last month's phone call has changed everything.

(Is it possible for a phone call from a guy I had previously never talked to before change the trajectory of my entire future? It looks that way!)

Thanks for guiding those of us who are wanting to serve God greatly by planting as healthy as possible!

[Jay Brock]

"Spiritual Sleeping Giant"... I feel that way about my hometown. It was the beginning of a HUGE revival in the 1800's. Now it's slumbering.

Wondering how that makes it 'good ground' though?!